PDP Chairmanship: South West zones post to Lagos and Ogun; Anybody from any part of the South can contest – Makarfi

Otunba Gbenga DanielChief Bode GeorgeChief Jimmy AgbajeSenator Ahmed Makarfi
The South West zonal caucus of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on Monday met at the Government House, Alagbaka, Akure, Ondo State in an attempt to present consensus candidates for positions zoned to the region by the Southern Caucus.
On Thursday, last week, the Southern Caucus of the Party in Port Harcourt zoned the office of National Chairman, National Auditor and Deputy National Publicity Secretary to the zone. At the end of the Monday meeting, the caucus agreed to peg the National Chairmanship position between Lagos and Ogun States, Deputy National Publicity Secretary zoned to Oyo/Osun, National Treasurer zoned to Ondo/Ekiti. The caucus also set up a six-man committee to be Chaired by Alhaji Yekinni Adeoko to meet with the three aspirants from Lagos and Ogun with the view of coming up with a consensus candidate for the National Chairmanship position. The committee is expected to submit its report within 48 hours. The new arrangement has now streamlined the position of the National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party to three individuals. The former Governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel who is the only aspirant from the State; Chief Olabode George and Jimi Agbaje, both from Lagos State. The meeting was attended by the host Governor, Olusegun Mimiko and his Ekiti State counterpart, Ayodele Fayose; former National Deputy Chairman and National Chairmanship aspirant, Chief Bode George; Chairman, House of Representatives Committee for Rural Development, Hon. Ladi Adebutu, former Minister of Education and National Chairmanship aspirant, Professor Tunde Adeniran, amongst other dignitaries.
However, Chairman Caretaker Committee of the party, Senator Ahmed Makarfi, on Monday in Kaduna, said that the race for the Chairmanship of the PDP is open to all contestants from the Southern part of the country.
Makarfi, who spoke when Dr. Raymond Dokpesi paid him a courtesy visit said that though the party supports zoning, nothing would be done to exclude any aspirant from the southern part of the country from the contest, promising that he would do everything within his power to ensure a level playing field for every contestant at the convention.